Blurred Lines
by redambition
Summary: When Rachel Berry scores the role of a lifetime, it isn't adjusting to the entertainment industry, becoming the face of such a beloved character, or even the intense, racy scenes involved that worry her the most; it's the man playing opposite her. How do you keep the lines between script and real life from blurring? And what if you want them to? Rated M for later chapters.
1. Chapter 1

_**Hi again! I've been out of the game a long time, and I do apologize to those of you who've missed me, I've missed you as well! Between trying to graduate in June, and working, I barely have time to breathe, much less write. I'm hoping to have more free time on my hands soon though, so I thought I'd go ahead and post this. I can't promise you when I'll be able to update, or how often, but I wanted to go ahead and get this out there because I started it months ago, it's just been sitting in my documents, and I don't have the will power to hold out any longer.  
><strong>_

_**PLEASE BE PATIENT WITH ME ON THIS! **_

_**That being said, I have no idea how the movie business works, and have never been behind the scenes for any of this cool stuff so I'm taking a lot of liberties here, please just go with me. Thanks! Also, for any of you who might have read 'Fifty Shades of Grey' this story might have some parallels, and while I did draw some inspiration from that book, this is not by any means modeled after it! Okay, enjoy!  
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_**Disclaimer: I Do Not Own Glee or any of the characters involved, nor do I have any affiliation with Paramount Studios.  
><strong>_

Rachel Berry closed her tattered and worn copy of _Blurred Lines_, the novel that had ultimately come to change her life, for what seemed like the hundredth time and rubbed her tired eyes, leaning her head against the rest of her seat. She sighed deeply, allowing the air to fill her lungs as she looked to her left and stared out at the bright, pillow-like white clouds outside of the airplane window. It had certainly been a little unnerving at first, considering she had never ridden on an airplane in her life before now, but her enthusiasm quickly overshadowed the fear. Rachel could see her reflection in the airplane window, making it look almost as if she were floating out on the clouds themselves, a fitting image as that was exactly how she had felt the last couple of weeks.

Rachel was born and raised in the small town of Lima, Ohio where the biggest establishment was the city mall and the most exposure she could ever dream of getting was the lead in the school musical (which she always got, and always shined at, of course). She had always known that she was too big for little old Lima, her fathers had been drilling that in her mind from the time she was old enough to waddle across a stage on her own, and they had been pushing her to succeed in everything she attempted since. That is why neither Hiram nor Leroy Berry could complain when Rachel had finally received the life altering call from Paramount Studios beckoning her to Los Angeles; because by some sort of miracle she had scored the coveted role of Alana Taylor in the highly anticipated book-turned-film, _Blurred Lines_.

She could still remember the day she stumbled upon the book that would reinvent her future as if it had only been yesterday. A year ago, after Rachel 's graduation from high school it seemed like all she had was time on her hands. The plan had always been to graduate and go to New York for school, to get her foot in the doorway and find herself on Broadway; the place she _belonged,_ to live out her biggest dreams. Those plans were effectively crushed when she didn't get into the school she had her heart set on, NYADA, and even more so when she realized that the deadline to apply to NYU had passed. Of course her initial reaction had been horrible and she spent days locked up in her room crying with _Funny Girl_ and all the gummy bears her dads would buy her, but eventually she simply had to accept that it was the hand she had been dealt for the time being, pick up and move on.

It took more will power than she even realized that she possessed, but maybe that was just a part of becoming a grown up. Rachel decided to take the time to work on her applications and apply again the next year. In the meantime she used the summer to give voice lessons to younger people in the community and save up all of her earnings. However, even with the work she still had a lot more free time on her hands than she would have liked, so she decided to take up reading for the first time in months. She had been pouring through the newest titles on the 'Best Selling' List on her iPhone one night when she came across _Blurred Lines_. It was certainly more mature and racy than anything Rachel had read prior, but she found herself compelled by the tale of Carter Andrews, a tortured man with a dark past who chose to deal with his issues in _very_ explicit ways, and the quiet yet undeniable hero he found in Alana Taylor.

That was the first night Rachel discovered what 'smut' was.

She wasn't a virgin, hadn't been since her junior year, but she had never actually read porn before either. She found herself becoming incredibly flustered as she read the racy novel in the privacy of her bedroom, but couldn't deny that it was all pretty erotic. She had even learned a few things from the book, more than a few things to be honest. She now knew that her relationship with Jesse had been very, what you would call 'vanilla' and a couple of times she found herself wondering what it would be like to get outside of that, to try some of the things mentioned in _Blurred Lines; _the book certainly made it sound fun. Just the thought brought new goosebumps to Rachel's skin and she physically shook her head, fighting the wicked smile that pulled at the corners of her mouth.

Even a few months after initially reading it Rachel was still obsessed with the novel. She found herself able to relate to Alana extremely well and claimed Carter Andrews as the man of her dreams. Eventually she started following other fan pages on Twitter and really became a clued in part of the book's fan base. She was ecstatic to find out that they were looking into making a feature film based off of the book, and that excitement only increased tenfold when she found out that they would be holding open casting calls for some of the roles, Alana included. Apparently they wanted fresh faces to bring life to the characters, and even if she, a relative nobody, didn't have her heart set on snagging the role she would have thought that a wise decision on the company's part.

Thankful that she had the sense to get a job and start saving up money, she began to see her _not_ getting into New York for school earlier as a blessing in disguise when she drove to Philadelphia for her second audition. The original tape she had sent into Paramount had caught their attention, earning her the chance to audition the second time around. Nervous didn't even begin to describe the way Rachel felt when she auditioned live for the casting directors; she couldn't breathe, she ran back and forth to the bathroom, and she wouldn't be surprised if the receptionist thought that she was schizophrenic as much as she had talked to herself and tried to pep herself up before walking into that small, stuffy room. As it turned out, all of that nervous energy had helped fuel her character, and she secured the role of Alana easily.

Rachel was shaken from her reflective thoughts as the chirping voice of the stewardess came through the sound system, alerting the passengers that they were about to land at their destination. In spite of her fatigue from so much riding, Rachel's face lit up. She had never dreamed she would end up in Los Angeles, as New York had always been the sure option for her, but she couldn't deny how excited she was about breaking into the big city, and for such a monumental reason. She could only imagine the opportunities that this movie was going to bring her, the doors that it would open up, and she welcomed it all with open arms.

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><p>Rachel climbed out of the taxi cab, soaking in the bright lights and warm sun of California as she walked down the sidewalk, clutching the handles of her suitcases tightly in her hands. Paramount had very generously set her up with a room at the Camelot Hotel and Suites until she could find her own housing with the ample stipend provided to her. Thankful that she could deal with the headache of apartment searching later, Rachel hurried into the grand lobby. She was immediately surprised at how friendly the people seemed, offering her kind smiles in passing as she made her way to the front desk to check in; she almost wondered if any of them could possibly know who she was already, even though that was a little ridiculous.<p>

No one knew who she was or what she was doing in town, at least not yet. The casting for _Blurred Lines_ had been kept under tight wraps until this point, and for good reason. The fans were absolutely crazy about these two characters and had been extremely vocal about who they imagined playing them. There were numerous polls, online fan made videos and collages everywhere. There were pleas for Alana's character to be played by everyone from Rachel McAdams to Miley Cyrus. It had unnerved Rachel on many an occasion of trolling through online pages, hoping that she could live up to what the people wanted. She had always been able to see herself in Alana, she really hoped that the masses would too. Alana was supposed to be of around average height with a nice, fit physique, flowing brunette hair, and a simple, wholesome look to herself while being able to pull out the seductress side when needed. She certainly thought she fit the bill, well, the seductress part was yet to be determined, but the casting directors obviously had faith in her and she would too.

They certainly knew what they were doing when they picked their Carter Andrews.

Rachel blushed scarlet as she thought about her soon to be co-star, an actuality that still blew her mind, and the time they would be spending together shortly. She left her suitcases by the door and flopped over onto the mattress, clapping both hands over her face with a slight squeal. The biggest perceived challenges she had found since embarking on this journey were ones she still found herself struggling with, ones that had driven her daddy to taking Zantac. The raw sexual element of this movie, and the precision, intensity, and level of professionalism it would take to pull off was, understandably, going to be challenging for a new actress in itself, but what made Rachel want to chew all of her nails off was that she would be doing it all alongside, or rather _underneath_, Finn Hudson.

Finn was the most well known name that had been cast in the film, but he was still new enough to the industry to keep their 'fresh face' feel. She had seen Finn's first film two years ago, a comedy in which he played a typical frat boy engaging in a war with his rival fraternity. In spite of the cliche movie plot she had been impressed by his acting skills, and he definitely wasn't hard on the eyes at all. He was extremely tall with messy brown hair; perfect for the 'just fucked hair' that Carter was to maintain for a good majority of the film, flawless skin and jawbones, and very expressive brown eyes. Rachel had also seen his second and most recent film where he portrayed a a struggling business man trying to save his family business, and found that he gave a very different and believable performance. She couldn't deny that the man was a good actor.

What scared her was the man behind the character.

Finn Hudson had come to have a bit of a reputation behind the scenes of his movies; hooking up with his cast members and such. As gorgeous as the man was she couldn't _truly_ blame him or the women involved, it was only natural, but she knew that she couldn't fall for that trap herself. She was much too new, too fragile to deal with that stigma or that drama. Of course it might not turn out to be a problem at all, who was to say that Finn would even be attracted to her? And besides that, the latest news articles were speculating that he might be quietly dating Quinn Fabray, the dazzling blonde beauty that had starred as Finn's love interest in his last movie. It made sense; the two had good chemistry on screen and they were both drop dead gorgeous; it was only fitting. Finn being taken might even make the whole situation more easy for Rachel to handle.

"_I think I"ll try defying gravity!_"

Rachel jumped with a high pitched squeal when her phone started to ring beside her head, startling her. She slapped a hand to her heart as she sat up on the firm hotel mattress and pressed the phone to her ear.

"Hello?"

"Rachel? This is Artie Abrams from Paramount, have you gotten settled in?" Rachel nearly choked on the air she was breathing when the voice of the movie's director came through her tiny phone.

"I have sir, thank you! It was a lovely flight and the hotel is just magnificent. Thank you so much" she rambled, losing her hold on herself until she heard the man chuckling.

"Please don't call me sir Rachel, I'm barely older than you."

"I'm sorry sir" Rachel said, cursing herself softly before correcting herself. "I mean, Mr. Abrams."

"We'll work on it" he sighed, chuckling softly. "I wanted to call you personally to make sure you were settled and ready to get to work tomorrow. This is going to be a huge project and I want us all on one accord."

"Yes, I absolutely agree sir. I'm definitely ready" she gushed, fighting to contain herself. "Call time is at eleven a.m. correct?"

"That's right. Don't forget to bring your I.D. and clearance card and we'll have everything else that you need" he informed her.

"Will do."

"Great. See you in the morning Alana" he said cheerily before hanging up the phone.

Rachel squealed and took a few minutes to tumble around on the massive bed in her suite before plopping back down onto her back to catch her breath. Tomorrow was going to be the day her dreams started to come true, and she couldn't wait.

_**Thank you for reading, hope you enjoyed! As stated previously, I have no idea when I'll be able to update, so PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE be patient with me!** _


	2. Chapter 2

_**Sorry guys, I know it's been ages...but here you go! Hope you enjoy!**_

_**Disclaimer: I Do Not Own Glee or any of the characters involved, nor do I have any affiliation with Paramount Studios.**_

* * *

><p>"Good morning" Rachel chirped to the crew members as she breezed by quickly.<p>

She walked over to the designated room with her head held high to distract herself from the fact that she was insanely nervous. Rachel had barely gotten any sleep the night before from all of her excitement and nervous energy; her brain just refused to shut up! Ultimately, she ended up getting in about two and a half hours of actual sleep and when she woke up the next morning it had taken about a tub of foundation, concealer, and eye makeup to remedy her dark eyes and slightly puffy face from the sleep deprivation. So, she didn't have the fresh clean face she had been hoping to turn up with for her first day, but how she looked would have to do. Besides, that's what makeup crews were for, right?

Wrong.

Rachel failed to realize that because they weren't actually filming today and were only doing a chemistry run between Finn and herself, the makeup crews weren't called in for her beautification. There were only going to be the directors, Finn Hudson, Rachel and the barely veiled bags under her eyes. _Great_. She blew a puff of air between her lips in slight frustration as she took a seat to wait, fidgeting with the hem of her black and gray high-waist shorts, hoping that she was presentable enough.

She could only imagine how glorious Finn Hudson would look when he showed up, making matters that much worse for her. Rachel chewed her lower lip as she reflected on Finn and his perfect image. He honestly looked like some sort of Greek God anytime he was spotted in public, but that was what was expected of him; he was a celebrity and they had to look as good out in every day life as they did on screen. Rachel physically shook her head at herself and the mental debate she was inflicting on herself. She knew she was only stressing herself out worrying over Finn; he was a normal human being just like she was, he was bound to have flaws like anyone else. Screen makeup could do so much for a person anyway, he could easily walk in and look just like any other ordinary person off of the street and not the mouth watering God he appeared to be on camera.

Wrong again.

Her jaw nearly dropped to the shiny linoleum floor when she looked across at the door leading to the building. There, in all his shining glory, stood the unmistakable vision that was Finn Christopher Hudson. Even from a distance Rachel lost the struggle to rip her eyes away from his tall, flawless form when he opened the door. She sat up a little straighter in her seat, adjusting her hair and feeling something akin to annoyance nagging at her when she noticed the slender blonde standing to his side, wearing a large pair of sunglasses. That had to be Quinn, it certainly looked like her. The unasked assumption was confirmed when the beautiful blonde pulled the sunglasses off of her face, balancing them in one hand.

Rachel, unable to fight her curiosity, watched the scene unfold in front of her as subtly as possible. The two only talked for a few seconds and then Quinn leaned up, placing a lingering kiss what seemed _awfully_ close to the corner of Finn's mouth before turning to leave. Rachel unconsciously started to frown as she watched the exchange, but quickly shook off the irrational semblance of jealousy when Finn started in her direction. She took deep breaths to calm her now erratically beating heart, shutting her eyes for just a second to collect her wits. She was here to be a professional, she could keep it together and be cool. He was just an abnormally attractive man for crying out loud, he wasn't God.

"Hi there."

Her eyes snapped open at the sound of the smooth voice before looking up directly into Finn Hudson's beaming smile._ Oh dear sweet Jesus_, he was so close she could clearly see the small specks of amber in his brown eyes, she could smell the clean scent of his cologne and just the sight of his adorable dimples was enough to make her swoon.

"Hi" she squeaked in response, failing miserably at her plan to appear nonchalant. It was completely unfair, that smile and those dimples were beyond disarming up close. "You're Finn Hudson" she blurted stupidly, wishing she could melt into a puddle where she stood. She actually might if he kept smiling at her the way he was. "_Ahem_" she cleared her throat, getting a grip on herself before extending her tiny hand toward him. "I'm-"

"Rachel Berry from Lima, Ohio" he finished for her, halting her meager progress in it's tracks with just those simple words. She blinked in awe at him as he shook her hand then took a seat beside her own.

"You, you know me?"

"I try to know a thing or two about the people I work with" he grinned, shooting her a wink.

"So I've heard" Rachel mumbled automatically, the memory of the perfect blonde woman who had accompanied him fresh on her mind. Her eyes went wide however when Finn raised his eyebrows at her questioningly.

"What do you mean?"

"Nothing" Rachel answered quickly, her cheeks flaming as she mentally berated herself for taking such a cheap shot at him, especially having just met the man. "I'm just surprised is all...Did you Google me" she asked after a second, looking to him with genuine curiosity. The thought that an actual real life celebrity had Google searched _her_, nobody Rachel Berry, was mind-boggling to say the least. She really couldn't wrap her brain around any of this.

"I had no choice. How else would I have found out that my co-star is a championship football player" he deadpanned, making her eyes widen.

"Oh my God" she laughed, slapping a hand over her mouth. She watched Finn's eyes dancing with humor before resting her now cherry-red face in her own hands to hide.

Her junior year of high school the Glee Club had become somewhat cool and managed to recruit a few members of the football team. When it came time for the championship game that season, they had a spat with some of the other members of the football team, resulting in somewhat of a strike. Rachel and the rest of the Glee girls had stepped up for the boys, volunteering for the football team and playing in the championship game so that they wouldn't have to forfeit. The girls all played horribly and Rachel narrowly avoided injury before things were resolved at the last minute and the other players returned to play the second half. Before it was over however, Rachel did manage to catch an interception and ran the only touchdown of the game. She had felt cool for all of about five minutes after that; the already cruel nickname of 'manhands' escalated into 'he/she" after her impressive act of athleticism. Deep down she knew that people were jealous that she had made such an accomplishment and constantly excelled in ways they didn't care to try, but that didn't make it hurt any less.

"Hey, don't be embarrassed, I think it's cool. I actually used to play football in high school myself and I'll tell you a secret, you scored one more touchdown than I ever did" he chuckled, shrugging his broad, sculpted shoulders. The easy action in itself erased most of her anxiety and made Rachel's chest squeeze. How was this happening to her? She was absolutely starstruck by this man, like a doe-eyed teenager and not at all the professional she was supposed to be embodying! She didn't have a dream of starring in a movie alongside him if she couldn't keep it together.

Before Rachel had the chance to respond with more than a small laugh she was interrupted by the voice of Artie Abrams, a small bespectacled man seated in a wheelchair.

"Carter? Alana" he called, poking his head out of the doorway at the two of them. "Good you're both here, and on time. Props" he praised, with a wide smile and raised fist.

"Of course sir" Rachel said loudly, even for herself.

"Come on in, we're ready to get started."

With simultaneous nods, Rachel and Finn followed the young director back into the spacious room. There were a few people seated around a table off to one corner of the room, some of which Rachel recognized from her audition. She smiled politely at them before turning her attention to the square table set up in the middle of the space. There were two chairs, a menu, a black notepad, a tray with two plates, two forks and a glass. These were all required for the first scene and she walked over to pick up the notepad and tray with a wistful smile, recalling the first scene of the story she loved so much as Finn took his seat at the table.

"Okay, we just want you to play this as naturally as possible, we're not even here" Artie called, rolling his wheelchair to the edge of the table of directors to watch them closely, clipboard in hand. "Whenever you're ready."

Rachel turned her back to them all, pushing through her nerves and taking deep breaths to focus on pulling Alana to the surface. When she felt ready, she spun back around, noting Finn's nod before launching into the scene.

_"Welcome to the New York Strip, home of the best steak in the city" Alana recited, holding her notepad in her hands, ready to take the beautiful man seated at her table's order. "My name is Alana and I'll be your server this evening. Could I start you off with something to drink" she smiled knowingly._

_"I'll have a vodka tonic, thank you Alana" he responded coolly, eying her more carefully than the menu as he uttered her name like the sweetest music.  
><em>

_"Vodka tonic" she repeated, raising her pen and jotting it down on the small pad even though she had anticipated that as his order from the moment he walked in. "Will you be having the artichoke sticks as well?"_

_The man's thoughtful gaze turned up into a cheeky smile as he laid his menu down completely to regard her. "I was considering it, how did you know" he asked, arching a brow at her curiously._

_"Well" she stuttered slightly, looking down away from his questioning stare. "You've been coming here the past two weekends and you always order the same thing; it's a waitress' job to pay attention to the customer, sir" she explained weakly. Of course it was the waitress' job when it was actually a customer she was waiting on but she had never waited on, much less spoken to this man before. That's not to say she didn't notice him though; every time he came in she was very aware. She could feel his gaze boring into her ,for whatever reason, from wherever he was in the restaurant, and she had a hard time keeping her own eyes away. "You must really like our cuisine" she added lightly, giving him a timid smile._

_"I know what I want" was his simple and vague reply, but there was something else in his voice, something she couldn't place playing in his eyes._

_The blush stained her cheeks under his deep, never wavering stare and she looked back to her notepad to escape it momentarily. "Um, so should I write you down for the artichoke sticks then, sir?"_

_"No, thank you" he smiled, closing his menu and handing it over to her._

_She raised her eyebrows at the contradictory action, but accepted the menu anyway. "Alright. Were you ready to order?"_

_"I think so."_

_"Great. What can I get for you?" Something in his eyes shifted at her words, a secret dancing behind them as he regarded her, but just as quickly as she noticed it, it was gone._

_"What is your favorite dish" he asked suddenly, looking to her curiously as if it was a pressing matter._

_"I, well, I don't actually have one, sir" she admitted sheepishly, chewing on her bottom lip subconsciously. "At least not here, unless you count the salad or chocolate mousse." His brows pulled together as he stared at her, waiting for an explanation. "I'm a Vegan and this is a Steakhouse with no Vegan alternatives" she explained, blushing at the fact that things had somehow been turned onto her, the waitress who was supposed to be selling her restaurant, not critiquing it. "Regardless of my own preference, I've yet to hear any complaints about any of our dishes from customers, so anything you choose should be satisfactory" she said quickly, becoming increasingly flustered by just the proximity of this gorgeous stranger and his questions._

_He looked around at the sparsely occupied dining room thoughtfully before turning his hypnotic gaze on her once again. "Caesar, or Chef" he asked, eying her thoughtfully._

_"Caesar" she answered, her response coming out more like a question itself. The man only chuckled. _

_"I'd like your Caesar salad with whichever type of dressing you would suggest, and the chocolate mousse" he recited, leaning forward in his chair and resting his chin on his long, distracting fingers. "And I'd like for you to join me."_

_Surprised, she laughed aloud at his words, the amusement dying instantly at the stern set to his jaw. "Are you serious?"_

_"Quite."_

_"I'm, I'm at work" she said, crossing her arms over her chest, the action drawing his gaze to her bosom._

_"Doesn't seem as if you're extremely busy" he mused, looking away to motion toward her empty section._

_"Even so, that doesn't mean that I can slack off on my duties, sir. I'm flattered by your offer but-"_

_"What if I told you I'd already cleared it with the hostess, validating my request by providing a very generous tip?"_

__"I, what?_" She sputtered for words, looking past the man's shoulder to find the hostess giving her an exaggerated thumbs up. She turned her questioning glare back on him, placing her hand on her hip. "That was very presumptuous of you, sir" she said quietly, her irritation at such a pompous act rivaling her intense curiosity. "I don't know you from any other man that walks in this establishment, what made you so sure that I would even want to have dinner with you?"_

_"Care to explain to me again how you happened to know my order" he asked knowingly, cocking his head to one side in a wholly arrogant but incredibly sexy move. "I told you, I know what I want and I'm not afraid to ask for it."_

_Alana fidgeted silently under his gaze, fighting with herself over whether or not to be offended, annoyed, intrigued, or settle for just plain confused. Deciding that she couldn't be logical in his incredibly intoxicating presence, she turned on her heel and walked away quickly to place his order in the kitchen._

_ In spite of the distance she kept from him as she waited for his food to be ready, even sending Wendy to take him his vodka tonic, she couldn't resist peeking at him from the back of the restaurant. He was achingly beautiful really, she couldn't deny that she was curious about him, and he was obviously interested in her as well. Finally she decided that it was at least worth a shot and that security was close enough by if he turned out to be some sort of maniac; she made up her mind. When she returned to his table she placed both plates down and hesitantly sat down across from him._

_"Beautiful and smart" he mused, pushing the salad plate in her direction. "Enjoy."_

_"What? No, this is yours" she argued, attempting to push it back._

_"I want you to eat it" he told her, gently brushing her hand away and pushing the plate back in front of her. Before she could argue further, he cut in again. "Have you eaten today?"_

_"Not since breakfast" she replied quietly, realizing for the first time that she had gone almost all day without eating. Her stomach growled in protest at the thought, and she looked up to see the look of annoyance flash through his dark amber eyes.  
><em>

_"Eat" he commanded quietly, leaving no room for argument._

_In spite of the fact that he was right and being exceptionally generous, she couldn't help but feel slightly annoyed at being treated like a child by a relative stranger. "Fine, I'll eat" she conceded, nodding her head while simultaneously picking up a forkful of salad and holding it up. "But I want to know your name first."_

_He smiled at her, a heart stopping picture as he leaned back, resting his elbows on the chair rest. "Fair enough" he said lifting an arm and gesturing to himself grandly. "Carter Andrews, but I quite like it when you call me Sir." He said it cheekily, but there was a seriousness in his eyes that betrayed the tone._

_"So, Mr. Andrews" she said purposefully, noting the way his eyes narrowed the slightest bit. "Aren't you hungry" she asked, making a show of eating the salad on her fork as promised. _

_"Not exactly" he said quietly, what looked like a smile now playing on the corners of his mouth. She was having a hard time keeping up with his quickly shifting expressions. "I've already eaten my dinner."_

_"Then why did you come here" she asked curiously, taking another nibble of the crisp salad, relishing in the immense joy it brought her painfully empty stomach. _

_"Mostly for the scenery" he smiled, gazing at her intently. "It's quite beautiful." Alana flushed under his dark stare, stuffing another mouthful of greens into her mouth as daintily as possible. _

_"It's not much to look at" she whispered after swallowing, swirling the fork around the plate.  
><em>

_"I have to disagree. I wouldn't be seeking it otherwise" he told her earnestly.  
><em>

_"Thank you, Sir" Alana said quietly, beaming under his praise. She was instantly rewarded with a sexy, dimpled half-smile from her companion that pleased her more than she would have expected.  
><em>

_"Thank you for joining me, Alana" he answered, picking up his own spoon to take a serving of the chocolate mousse she had just started on. "You have no idea how much I was looking forward to this. I sincerely hope that this won't be the last time."  
><em>

_She watched with slightly wide eyes as his smooth lips wrapped around the spoon, cleaning if of all of the chocolate while his twinkling eyes stayed locked onto hers. Her gulp was barely contained when his tongue slipped out to rid his lips of any possible leftover chocolate, and she knew that he could see the blush staining her cheeks a deep red by the wicked way he was smirking at her. _

_"That was good."_

_"Totally" she agreed, almost breathless as she unconsciously leaned in closer to him._

"And Cut!"

Artie's excited voice cut through Rachel's mind, bringing her back to the room. Even in reality, there was a gorgeous, mysterious man seated in front of her, his face inches from her own as he stared back at her.

"I think it's officially safe to say that these two are _definitely_ our Carter and Alana" Artie announced proudly, a chorus of '_yes_' and '_absolutely_' sounding around him in response. "We'll take a quick break and then run that again! Great job guys!"

Rachel nodded at the director tightly then turned back to face her partner, amazed at the way he was still staring at her in what looked like awe, but she had to admit if she could see herself that was probably the same look she was giving him. It didn't take a rocket scientist to realize, what had made that scene so epic was the chemistry that buzzed and sizzled between the two of them. The flirting had just come natural, the way she was so completely taken by him didn't require much acting on her part, and judging by the way he was gazing at her now she couldn't help but think maybe, just maybe, he felt it too.

This was going to be trouble.

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><p><em><strong>Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed! I'll try to update asap! <strong>_

_**Merry Christmas, Happy New Year!**_


	3. Chapter 3

_**Disclaimer: I Do Not Own Glee or any of the characters involved; nor do I have any affiliation with Paramount Studios.**_

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><p>After what felt like endless hours of rehearsing with Finn, though thankfully none of the racier scenes yet, they were finally released for the day. Rachel thanked her lucky stars that she was free from the sweet torture that came with working so closely to Finn Hudson and booked it out of the building as quickly as possible, making sure to thank all of the directors and managerial staff before she left. Rachel took a deep breath when she reached the outside of Paramount Studios, closing her eyes and letting the warm evening air wash over her face as she waited to signal herself a cab.<p>

The crew was very nice, Artie was great, and Finn was lovely, but acting opposite him was already proving to be a challenge. It wasn't even just his ridiculous good looks, though those were definitely a huge factor. He was funny, and talented, and the level of sex appeal the man brought with him was just plain ungodly. She dreaded to think of how she was going to handle it when things _really_ heated up between them on screen. She was already a puddle of goo at just his suggestive words and half-smiles, the idea of holding it together when they were laying in a bed together, his lips skimming down her skin with his body pressed against hers and his hands in private places made her shiver and sigh all at the same time. She frowned at the colliding feelings, rubbing at her temples as she stood on the curb until a familiar voice startled her.

"Hey, Rachel!"

After only one day together, that voice was now etched into her memory. She turned around quickly to find Finn waving his hand toward her, motioning for her to wait for him.

"Finn" she asked, turning around to him with a question in her eyes. She certainly hadn't expected him to follow her out. "What's going on?"

"Nothing" he shrugged, walking nearer to stand beside her at the exit. "You ran out of there so fast I didn't get the chance to even speak to you. I thought you were an ex-football champ, not a track star" he joked, flashing his addictive smile.

"I'm a woman of many talents" she laughed, trying to hide her seriousness.

"I'd have to agree, you were really great in there today" he said honestly.

"Thank you, Finn" she smiled, tucking her hair behind her ear. "So were you, of course."

"Thanks" he grinned his perfect grin, making her swoon silently. "So, did you have big plans for this evening? Is that why you ran out of there like a caged bird that just got free?"

"Not exactly." He stuck his hands in his pockets, looking to her expectantly and she gave in, deciding that she really didn't have to be evasive with him. They were going to be working closely, _very_ closely together, they really should be comfortable and open with one another. "I haven't exactly gotten used to the city yet" she admitted, looking out toward the busy road. "I wanted to get back to the hotel before it got dark out and order some delivery food, preferably Japanese."

"The city isn't that bad, trust me. It kinda freaked me out when I first moved here too but now I love it" he told her. "You'll get used to it soon enough."

"Hopefully" she said, offering him a genuine smile. If she had it her way, this movie would blow up and get her noticed by the producers on Broadway, the stage she really belonged on, and she'd be relocating to a whole other city. Not that she wasn't excited about her good fortune to find herself starring in a major film, she truly was; Broadway was her true dream, and Hollywood was going to help her get there.

"So, delivered Japanese by yourself, huh" he asked, reaching up to rub the back of his neck. "That doesn't sound fun at all."

"It worked well enough yesterday" she shrugged, mentally cursing herself for admitting her lame routine to a hot, interesting celebrity.

"Two days in a row? Come on, now that's just depressing" he said dramatically, drawing a giggle from her as he took a step closer into her personal space. "Why don't you have dinner with me? We can take the time to get to know one another a little better."

"How very Carter Andrews of you" she smirked up at him, wondering if she was just imagining the suggestiveness in his proposition.

"I taught him everything he knows" he teased back, winking at her and making her skin flush at the implications. She definitely wasn't imagining the flirtation.

It was better veiled now but she could still see it; the mischief in his eyes, the unmistakable lust that had been there all day. Though it was intriguing, Rachel was suddenly reminded of Quinn Fabray, his past cast mate and possible girlfriend who had shown up with him earlier in the day. She wondered if this is how things had started with them; Finn turning on the charm, luring her out with him and then seducing her. He was a playboy, capable of having his way with any woman he felt the slightest tug toward.

"Come on, it'll be fun I promise" he assured her, pooching his lower lip out just the slightest bit. Damn him and his perfect face. "You're wounding my ego here" he added when she was still silent.

"I don't know, Finn" she said quietly, a smile in her voice in spite of her words. "I'm not sure Quinn Fabray would appreciate my company quite as much as you would." The words slipped from her mouth before her internal filter could stop them, but she didn't back down. He wanted them to get to know one another, well this was part of the introduction.

"What" he asked, confusion lacing his tone.

"Well, I was under the impression that you were dating Quinn Fabray" she explained, glancing away toward the road full of cabs that she really should be hailing down rather than making a fool out of herself in front of the most frustratingly handsome man she'd ever seen. "The last thing I need is some sort of drama or confrontation with someone while trying to make it in a new city _and_ profession."

She chanced a look up at his face, relieved to find him chuckling quietly. "Of course you would think that, everyone does" he sighed, wiping a hand down his face. "I'm not dating Quinn, or anybody else" he told her, looking directly into her eyes. "We're just good friends, have been for a while now."

"Ah" she said simply, fighting to keep the corners of her mouth from insanely turning into the giddy smile she felt building.

"So what do you say? It's just dinner. I'll even drive so you don't have to resort to a cab _and_ take you back to your hotel afterward" he offered, pouting his lips for effect as Rachel eyed him carefully.

He did seem genuinely interested in hanging out with her, and in spite of the fact that mere minutes ago she had been rushing out of there to get away from his intoxicating presence, his smile and enthusiastic attitude had already managed to suck her back in. She looked into his face and made up her mind; maybe this really was what she needed. She had to work alongside him, and she was going to have to be able to hold her own in his presence one way or another, for Alana's sake and definitely for her own.

"You know what, Finn? That sounds great."

"Awesome" he grinned, pulling a set of keys from his pocket and beckoning her towards the parking lot. He walked her over to a shiny, gray Range Rover and walked around to open the passenger door, impressing her with his chivalry as he helped her inside before walking around to climb in himself. "So, Japanese?"

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><p>Rachel cackled embarrassingly loudly, holding her sides as Finn made a show of pouring his dessert smoothie over his slice of meat lovers pizza. "Oh, gross" she squealed when he shoved the slice into his mouth, not even batting an eye at the strange combination.<p>

"Mmmm" he moaned, finishing off the slice in two bites before picking up his napkin to wipe the ridiculous amount of grease and leftover smoothie drops from his face. She had no idea that he would take her serious when she dared him to do it, it had just been a silly dare fueled by their first awkward silence of the evening and the rum in her strawberry daiquiri.

Though she had initially wanted Japanese food, finding a small Japanese place that Finn wouldn't be recognized in proved harder than expected. It didn't bother her since she had eaten it the day before, so instead she allowed Finn to pick a place for them to eat. He had been living in Los Angeles for quite some time now, he had a much better idea of the restaurants. Ultimately, they ended up at a tiny, hole in the wall pizzeria called _Anita's _where not only could they get what Finn swore was the 'best pizza in Los Angeles' but also celebrate their first successful day with a few drinks.

"You're disgusting" she said, shaking her head at him with a scrunched nose, sipping on her second pink drink. It had been quite some time since she had an alcoholic drink, but while she wasn't drunk, she _could_ feel the buzzing effects. She felt bolder, louder, more confident in herself. Then again, maybe that also had something to do with the way Finn's appreciative gaze had been steadily trained on her.

"I'm a man, it's what we do" he chuckled, downing the rest of his nearly forgotten beer with a grin. "How was your food" he asked, his gaze moving over to the half slice of pizza on her plate. In truth the food really was amazing; if this is what California pizza tasted like she couldn't wait to taste it from New York. She just couldn't fit the rest of that piece in her full stomach though, she was at full capacity.

"It was great, thank you" she told him genuinely, happy that she had taken a chance on him and didn't revert into her hotel room all alone. "You have great taste Finn." The corner of his mouth lifted into a cheeky half smile and she felt his eyes appraising her, but he said nothing, thankfully.

It hadn't been anywhere near as awkward or tense as she had been expecting, moments such as that few and far between. Finn was considerate, surprisingly chivalrous and just lovely dining company. She almost felt silly for being so worried as she watched him paying the elderly Italian woman, until he uttered his next words and reminded her all over again.

"Are you ready to go home?"

"What" she squeaked, looking up at him almost panicked. She couldn't go home with him! Could she? The little voice in her head immediately piped up with _yes please._

"Are you ready for me to take you to your hotel" he clarified, laughter in his voice as he studied her.

"_Oh_, oh right" she breathed, shaking her head at herself. What was wrong with her? "Yes, thank you" she answered, deciding to blame it on the alcohol as she stood from her seat and dusted off her shorts.

"You really should try to find an apartment soon" he told her as they walked out the back way to the Range Rover, taking her hand in his to help her up inside the vehicle.

"That sounds like a headache I'd like to avoid for as long as possible" she grumbled, leaning her head against it's rest.

"You're a pessimistic little thing, aren't you" he grinned, sticking his tongue out at her. "Is it just going to go in one ear and out the other if I tell you that it's not that bad?"

"It would certainly be more helpful if you had some sort of proof" she reasoned with a smile, leaning her elbow onto the center console and resting her chin in her palm.

He pulled around the building and out onto the road, tossing her a lopsided smile. "Maybe I do."

"Let me guess" she started, feeling herself caught up into his playful tone. "You happen to need a roommate, and it would be beneficial for us both if I came to stay with you" she finished, turning her eyebrow up at him with a giggle at the cliche she'd just recited perfectly. He didn't need to know that was actually the plot line of a novel she'd read online in the last few months and fallen in love with.

"No, actually" he chuckled. "Unless you're into that kinda thing" he added, smiling suggestively at her as if he could read her thoughts, making her blush. "I'm kidding" he sighed, shaking his head. "You're kinda jumpy too."

"_You're_ kind of judgmental" she shot back, pulling her elbow back to cross her arms, leveling him with her stare.

"I prefer observant" he challenged, turning a cocky grin to her. Deciding to give up on the matter for fear that he would look away from the road and wreck, but more so because he was incredibly sexy when he was cocky and she found herself wanting to climb over the console into his lap and probably cause them to wreck herself, she relented.

"Tell me then _Mr. Observant_, what is your proof?"

"You really wanna know" he asked, and she nodded her head enthusiastically. "Prepare yourself for magic" he said dramatically, wiggling his eyebrows at her.

Rachel giggled at his antics, and he turned to her thoughtfully, allowing his gaze to sweep over her face. "You're a lot more relaxed after a few strawberry daiquiris" he stated, his gaze never leaving hers, worrying the crap out of her.

"I'd be exponentially more relaxed if you paid better attention to the road, Finn."

"We're not on the road anymore Rachel" he chuckled, nodding at something over her shoulder. She turned, following his gaze to see that they were indeed parked outside of her hotel. Well, that was embarrassing. She didn't realize at all how close they were to the Camelot; she really needed to get used to this city.

"Oh."

"That doesn't exactly sound like an apology for doubting my _awesome_ driving skills, but I'll take it" he mock scolded her, grinning when she stuck her tongue out at him. "I like seeing you this way. I was kind of afraid you didn't like me earlier, at the studio."

"Why would you think that" she asked, her eyes widening at his words. She had thought she was very friendly toward him, more than friendly, minus the few moments of word vomit.

"Well, you barely looked at me when we were out of character, and you ran out of the studio like you couldn't get away fast enough, like I was some creep or something. You weren't exactly subtle."

Rachel looked down guiltily, toying with her fingernails. "I'm sorry about that. It wasn't that I didn't like you at all Finn, I suppose I just felt intimidated" she admitted, chancing a look up to his face.

"I understand" Finn murmured. "I went through it too, the new guy in the big city thing" he continued, looking away from her with a wistful expression. "It's definitely intimidating, but you shouldn't let it get to you Rachel, you're a really gifted performer" he told her honestly, turning his piercing amber eyes on her again. "I really was impressed with you today, you were amazing."

"Thank you Finn, I had a pretty great partner" she smiled widely, tucking a stray hair behind her ears. "We make a good team, our chemistry is pretty epic" she said shakily, clearing her throat. "You know, according to Artie."

"We do" he agreed instantly, making her heart flutter. He continued to stare at her expectantly until she cleared her throat again and started to unbuckle her seat belt.

"Right, well, I should probably be getting inside."

"Not so fast, I still have some magic to share with you" he reminded her, flashing his dimples and silencing her as he pulled out his phone. She watched him curiously as his long fingers moved over the screen expertly, her mind whirring with wildly inappropriate thoughts about what else those fingers could do. "This" he said suddenly, startling her and drawing that damn blush back to her cheeks, "my dear Rachel, is a relatively new magic we call, _The Internet_." He smirked at her and turned his screen so that she could see the webpage. He had pulled up what looked like a Newspaper website, showing the available listings of apartments in the area. "_Voila_."

Rachel cocked her chin up, rolling her eyes up at him. "Oh my goodness Finn, you're a _genius_. Why didn't I think of this" she said sarcastically, laying a hand over her heart.

"No need to thank me ma'am, just doing my part to help society" he grinned, leaning close to her. "Unless you insist."

"Thanking you hadn't exactly crossed my mind" she teased, unconsciously leaning closer to him as well.

"Yeah? What did" Finn breathed, his cocky gaze falling to her lips.

She hadn't realized quite how close they were until that moment, but they were both now leaned over the center together, their faces mere inches from one another. She could smell the clean scent of his cologne wafting into her nostrils, and if she really wanted she could reach right across and touch him. Her breath lodged in her throat at the realization, but she couldn't quite bring herself to pull away; damn strawberry daiquiri!

"Um" she breathed, allowing herself to get caught up in the deep, warm amber of his eyes, until she saw her reflection in them. She looked like some lovestruck, moon eyed girl, and that simply wouldn't do. She wouldn't allow herself to get caught in this dangerous trap, it wouldn't be helpful to either of them and if he wouldn't stop it, she would. "That I should really get inside, it's getting late" she said quietly, using all of her will power to pull herself backward, effectively removing him from her personal bubble.

"Right" Finn said quickly, subtly shaking his head. "Let me help you."

Rachel nodded and Finn climbed out of the car, walked around and opened her door for her once again. "It was great meeting you Finn, and thank you for dinner" she said mustering up all the cheerfulness she could, trying to ignore the pang in her heart signaling that she didn't want him to go. Her heart was clearly insane, and a traitor.

"It was my pleasure, Rachel. I'll see you tomorrow at...nine, right?"

"Right."

"Can't wait. I look forward to working with you Rachel" he told her sincerely, waving a hand to her before starting around the vehicle again. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight Finn" she called, allowing the dreaminess to filter into her tone only once his door was closed, and he was driving away.

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><p><em><strong>Thank you guys for reading, hope you enjoyed! I PROMISE I will update as soon as I possibly can. Thanks for sticking with me, I truly appreciate it!<strong> _


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